Daniel Ward is the founder of Ovolo London, a company that specialises in the supply and install of fibrous plaster mouldings, the restoration or original plaster mouldings and the installation of new lath and plaster in properties in and around London. This year, Daniel and his team are heading to Normandy to begin work on a chateau…
We were awarded the honour of best plaster restoration company a few years ago which was extremely humbling; the award certainly drove us to aim even higher and achieve more of the same…”
Daniel Ward, founder, Ovolo
C&B: “Daniel, there are few things more satisfying than taking on a project and transforming it from mundane to regal! How did you find yourself in this particular area of expertise?”
DW: “After completing my A-levels, I decided university wasn’t for me; I knew I wanted to continue learning but was always drawn towards a job where I’d be both skilled and active. I started working in plastering thanks to a school friend’s dad who ran a small plastering company and I knew early on that this career would fulfil my ambition as there is just so much to learn across all aspects…”
C&B: “What type of project do you typically work on and how do clients find you?”
DW: “I feel that every year since the company was formed the profile of project we work has evolved. We started with mostly medium-sized residential projects which then turned into a more even split with commercial projects. I’d say around half of the jobs we work on are on listed properties with a large chunk of those being private residential homes. Last year we worked on St George’s Church in Mayfair, Rosetti Studios in Battersea – where the Royal portraits have been taken in the past – and All Saints Church in Wandsworth – all of which had grade listings; this year we are taking on the chateau in Normandy. One of the most exciting parts of Ovolo is that there are so many different types of property and therefore so many avenues to explore. We seem to get the majority of our work through existing clients and word of mouth which I think is the goal for most companies of our size. I also attend business development events to meet new companies to encourage new relationships – we’re always looking to add to our existing client base whenever possible…”
C&B: “Out of all the various styles of property, both private and commercial, which do you prefer to work on personally?”
DW: “My personal favourite style is ‘Arts & Crafts’; I’ve always found this style to be fun and particularly creative. There are fewer ‘rules’ and each room can vary greatly in appearance so I’ve always felt like we can more easily create a variety of appealing ambiences within one property…”
C&B: “What are the main challenges you’re confronted with when you’re working on a project?”
DW: “The most challenging project to date? That’s a difficult question! Some jobs have had difficult timelines which are always challenging, however I’d prefer to go with the most difficult in terms of skill. Two years ago we worked on a huge private residential home in Kew where we replicated every original plaster moulding and supplied as new throughout. This included ceiling roses, cornices, overdoor pediments as well as thirteen new arches with the biggest being 5.5 metres wide. Now, that was challenging!”
C&B: “Why do you believe property owners invest in your craft? Is it about aesthetics, or maintaining the character of the home or adding value, or…?”
DW: “Our work does add value to any home – it’s important to remember that historically, decorative plaster was a way to show wealth and I think that sentiment should be remembered, even now. I think it is particularly important for period homes to have period features to maintain their value and ensuring the plasterwork is consistent throughout and in keeping with the period is important too.”
C&B: “Given the opportunity, what would be your dream project – a palace or hotel on the Grand Canal in Venice perhaps…?”
DW: “The ‘dream project’ is a great question; I love being challenged by complex jobs where we get the opportunity to showcase a large variety of our skills. I really enjoy sitting in the office and having to think about how to create or restore something which isn’t an ‘everyday’ piece of work. I would say the dream job would include a lot of restorative work as well as a variety of new designs too. There is a great sense of reward when you have restored something dating back hundreds of years… lthen add to the mix some new designs and I think I’d be an extremely satisfied man!”
C&B: “Daniel, you’ve inspired us! What else don’t we know about you and your amazing projects?!”
DW: “Something I’ve always been proud to share is that my work spans across three continents. In Melbourne, I worked for a fantastic company which was the best in the business and I’ll be forever grateful to a man named Aaron for that opportunity – I really think that invaluable experience gave me the tools required to start Ovolo. I also had a spell working in Ecuador – which is pretty random too – although that was during part of a long, two year trip when I was carefree in my twenties!”
C&B: “Daniel – thank you for a fantastic insight into your work and company – now we know who to credit next time we’re in Hanover Street and walk in to admire the architecture and decorations in St George’s!”
CONTACT: http://www.ovololondon.co.uk
